可可英語的網友們大家好。一說球啊，撲克啊，骰子啊大家都知道這是打算recreate娛樂消遣一會兒了。不過包含這些娛樂詞匯的習語要表達的可不一定和休閑消遣有關。一起聽聽被這么多休閑詞匯描述的女老板能是個什么樣的人吧。

We always knew what our boss, Amanda, was thinking. Right off the bat, as soon as she walked through the door, she'd let you know what she wanted you to do. Her style was clear, direct, and open. She always put her cards on the table.

If you did something wrong or said something inappropriate, Amanda told you that you were off base. If she thought you were doing well and on the ball, she told you that, too. And when she said no, she meant no. No dice. Not many people argued with her and won. But I think she really enjoyed people who would stand up to her and give their own opinions. I think she secretly got a kick out of it.

Amanda是一個行事風格clear, direct and open清晰，直接，公開的老板。每一次，Right off the bat, 這個和球拍有關的習語意思相當于immediately, without delay 立刻馬上，毫不耽誤的，每次，當她走進們，就立刻告訴你她需要你做什么。的確是一個總是put her cards on the table的人。把自己的牌放在桌子上讓別人看，也就是，毫不隱瞞，清楚的解釋情況的意思。再比如：Let me put my cards on the table. Either we sell more or we'll have to close the business. 讓我把話說明白了吧。要么我們多賣一些貨，要么我們關門大吉。

做錯了事情，Amanda會告訴你你off base，base有棒球比賽的“球壘”之意，off base沒有跑到壘上，也就是not correct，“不正確”之意。再比如：You're off base with that answer. Try again. 你的答案是錯誤的。再做一次。

做錯了要指出，相反，如果做得好，on the ball，她也會提出表揚。On the ball，勤奮的，有見識的。比如： Sophie is an excellent manager. She realy knows how to organize things and get things done. She is really on the ball. Sophie是個出色的經理。她知道如何組織和實施。她真是太能干了。

接下來，如果Amanda說不行的事兒，那就是不行了。No dice。Dice，骰子。No dice, 不給你扔骰子得出別的結論的可能。所以，No dice，just mean “No.” 例如：Tom wanted the party to be at my apartment, but I said no dice. Tom希望在我的公寓開Party，但我不同意。

除了以上所說的種種特點之外，Amanda還有一個寶貴的優點，希望每個人都不僅僅是應聲蟲，而是能夠表達自己的觀點。并且she secretly got a kick out of it. 私底下她是kick out of it的。這個短語意思相當于 “enjoy something a lot, like something a lot”。非常喜歡。再比如： I really get a kick out of Lisa's jokes. She always makes me laugh. 我太喜歡Lisa的笑話了。她總能讓我發笑。

OK, our goodbye question: If you are on the ball, do you do things well? See you next time.